Welcome to the Tactile Project Space, where you can get creative. Here you are invited to explore, take part, and get hands-on with clay, guided by our talented and friendly ceramic artists.
Stoke-on-Trent’s innovative ceramic industry produced tiles that were used in architecture and decoration all over the world.
Let’s talk about clay
The tile-making activities here have been designed to start conversations about Stoke-on-Trent’s rich ceramics heritage. They also prompt us to think about sustainability, local ecology, waste, and re-use. The clay has come from the construction site of Old Oak Common, the new HS2 railway station in west London. Each clay tile created will remain un-fired and will be laid together in an outdoor location in Stoke-on-Trent. These raw clay tiles will be used as a rich bed for wildflowers to grow on, creating an urban meadow in the city.
Clay unearthed for construction projects has long been seen as a waste product and has been hard to use due to complex legislation. Why has a natural resource, with the potential to be used by local makers been so undervalued?
Equally, wildflowers are often disregarded as weeds but they play an important role in urban biodiversity.
You will be contributing to creating something beautiful out of disregarded materials and overlooked elements of nature.
Visit
The 2023 British Ceramics Biennial has now ended. Thank you to everyone who showed support by visiting, attending events and sharing your experiences on social media.
Support
The British Ceramics Biennial Associate Artists leading the project are Joanna Dawidowska, Sarah Fraser, and Natalia Kasprzycka
Tactile Project Space has generous support from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and HS2.
The Tactile Project Space is part of HS2’s arts and culture programme which explores ways to incorporate creative practice into the development of the railway and works closely with creative practitioners and arts organisations to build relationships with communities, reflecting and enhancing their skills and aspirations.
